Car Tech Video: 2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport

Car Tech Video: 2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport

3:00 /
April 9, 2013

The original luxury crossover attempts to tighten up its rep.

The Lexus RX invented the compact Luxury Crossover market.
Let's see how it's firing 15 years later as we do a quick look at the 2013 Lexus RX350 F Sport and check the tech.
Now, if you haven't seen an RX in a while, the styling has more edges than you may recall and the new family face called the Spindle Grille.
Our F Sport edition has an even deeper
meshy version of that grille.
Several sporty body cues around the edges and 19s in all 4 corners instead of 18s.
But all RXs remain 2-row 5-passenger vehicles.
No revolution inside but the Lexus cabin remains handsome and very tech looking.
Nine-speaker audio is base with all the importance sources including USB and Bluetooth streaming.
You can bump it up to 12-speaker premium sound or
all the way up to 15-speaker Levinson Surround Audio and 330 watts.
But annoyingly, to get HD radio, you also have to get a back up camera.
I don't mind that but not everybody wants those things tied.
Remote touch is the controller when you get navigation.
Now, RX wouldn't have this and no one else has a controller like it.
Navigation as I mentioned is optional whichever package you get it in will also bring you the Enform App Suite with Bing, Pandora, OpenTable, Yelp and more.
Under the hood, the F Sport RX gets the same power train as every other RX that is not a hybrid.
That's a 3.5 liter V6, doing 270 horse, 248-foot-pounds of torque, 0 to 60 and 7.7 seconds regarding variety RX stuff, MBG is a little underwhelming at 1826 but not awful for this profile and weight of a vehicle.
Now, where the Base RX has a 6 speed and front wheel drive, an F Sport has an 8
speed and requires all wheel drive.
Mention the F Sport is well, sport but not adaptive or anything tricky.
It's just firmer which can mean harsher.
I've been underwhelmed by the F Sport cars I've driven so far.
I feel they miss the mark of what a Lexus is so good at, refined, high-tech luxury that is dead reliable.
These are not AMG or M Fighter especially the RX F Sport since it has no powertrain [unk].
As a result, I don't feel the package is worth the harsher
ride and slightly poser trim that detracts from Lexus Luxury.
That's by the 2013 Lexus RX CNET Style, I'd go base with an RX350 not F Sport at just under 42 delivered.
Get the Navin camera package for about $6,700 that will also include remote touch controller, back up camera, enform apps, heated and cooled seats, HID headlights and more.
They'll come in just shy of 50 grand.